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“We are having a 16-foot-by-30-foot room addition (we call it a conservatory) built on the back of our home overlooking our back yard and a creek. Will white wicker look ridiculous in the middle of a snowy winter? What about an Etruscan look? Should the floor be Mexican tile? Would an upholstered sofa be appropriate? What would be a fashionable color scheme? Curtains or blinds? Area rugs? Lighting? Help!” — Byron and Cherol Lott, Plainfield
SOLUTION
“Definitely do not do Mexican tile,” advises Perry, who currently is working on a conservatory for an old Victorian house in Oak Park. Previously he oversaw installation of and decorated an imported English conservatory in Glenview. “Limestone is warmer and more neutral.”
No also to upholstered furniture, because if there is a lot of glass, it means fading. “Any fabric should be in neutrals and should be cotton duck. White wicker is fine,” he adds, “a classical Etruscan look with urns and steel tables with glass tops” even better.
“Possibly a rag rug on the floor for color–it can be thrown in the washer. If you want something on the windows . . . I would suggest some type of blind that rolls up and disappears. It is always nice to have a large, central lighting fixture,” he adds, suggesting one made of iron.
MORE ABOUT FRANK S. PERRY
Background: Head of Frank Perry Residential Interiors Inc., 180 E. Pearson St. Enjoys doing all the architectural and space planning for a residence.
Forte: Reconstruction of high-rise interiors.
Area covered: Mostly in the city, some on the North Shore.
Style: Typically, international style. If you were to close all the drapes in one of his apartments, he says, you wouldn’t know where you are. “It could be a French country home, a New York brownstone or a London townhouse.”
Design philosophy: “I like to give them a beautiful shell and the interior is a collaboration between the client and myself.”
Call: 312-280-0850.